CHENNAI: DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson moved a private member’s Bill on Friday to amend the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and Dentists Act, 1948 to give States the option to opt out of NEET and NEXT tests for UG, PG and diploma medical and dental courses.
The Bill named ‘The Medical Education Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ says it has been felt across the country that NEET not only gives students studying in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools an upper hand but also greatly disadvantages the economically weaker sections of the society.
Besides, the Bill mentions that the examination completely decimates the right of the State to regulate medical education. As the test is largely based on the CBSE syllabus, it requires extra coaching at considerable cost apart from ordinary school education, and not everybody is able to afford the same.
The Bill further reads, “It is necessary to amend Section 10-D of the Dentists Act, 1948 to grant exemption to States opting out of the Uniform Entrance Examination. It is also necessary to amend the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 which provides for a National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test under section 14 and a National Exit Test under Section 15 of the Act so as to exempt from holding NEET and EXIT tests.”
According to DMK sources, the Bill will be taken up for discussion at the earliest. It is expected that the AIADMK would also extend its support for the Bill since the AIADMK supported the Bill which was passed by the State government in the State Assembly on September 13 this year, to dispense with NEET.
It may be recalled that TNIE had already published a news story on November 22 about DMK looking to press for abolishing NEET.